Sleepy Weasel wrote:
I have a potential opportunity for a unique aviation shoot in the near future. What makes it unique is the model herself (I can't go into full detail on it right now due to some possible contract issues with her new job).

But this model is a hobbyist pilot also and wants to do some serious aviation photos, re-creations, etc. (on the ground). While I have already received permission from a small local airport to shoot there, I'm not sure how to approach plane owners to get permission (or how to find out who owns specific planes, how to find planes we want to shoot with, etc.).

Anyone have experience doing shoots at airports and have any tips or possible pitfalls to avoid?

Boy....glad you said on the ground.....recently American Photographer ran an article about a very well know arial photographer and his shooting platform was an old B-17 bomber with the rear gun turret replaced with a seat exposed to the open....

He straps himself in.....and off he goes......talks to the pilot via headphones.....basically directing him in positions for good shots......

Crap....that would scare the hell out of me....hanging out the ass end of an old bomber!!

FKVPhotoGraphics wrote:
He straps himself in.....and off he goes......talks to the pilot via headphones.....basically directing him in positions for good shots......

Now that sounds like a frick'n blast!

Good way to test the VR on my Nikkors

C R Photography wrote:

Now that sounds like a frick'n blast!

Good way to test the VR on my Nikkors

I try really really hard to be nice to people. But on this one occassion I'm gonna make an exception.

YOUR NUTS!!!  lol There's no way I'd do that.  I don't mind flying airplanes but there's no way I'd strap myself to the tail as described.

Sleepy Weasel wrote:
Thanks for the info David - that link might end up helping as I found an old pic of a Beech 18 here in Colorado at an old airport, so I can see if it's still around the area.

No problem.  Also, if all else fails, ask the old timers sitting around doing their hanger talk who's got the cool old planes.  They'll know.  You probably won't see most the cool stuff because the old classics are usually lovingly tucking in a hanger.

J Merrill Images wrote:
Yup, lots of experience.

First, make sure you understand where you can and can not go on an airport. If it is a small, non-aircarrier airport with minimal security considerations, this should be relatively easy. Talk to airport management to make sure you understand your responsibilities. Don't go wandering out near taxiways or runways.

Most airports have at least one "FBO" (Fixed Base Operator), which is basically a private terminal. Once again, if it is a small airport, chances are the FBO will have a bulletin board and they will let you post a 3" x 5" card advertising for planes to use in your shoot. Offer the owners of the aircraft photos in exchange. You will probably find a couple who will let you use their Cessna, Piper, etc. They will, of course, want to be there. Providing pictures of a sexy model in/on their airplane might serve as an additional inducement.

If the airport is large enough to have business jets and/or air carrier operations, be very careful where you go. Do not stray out of the area that you have been permitted to use. Just think in terms of the security that you have to go through on a commercial flight. Airport mamangement and/or security will not be amused if you go wandering about. You could even find yourself facing federal charges because air carrier airports are certificated by the FAA as such (14 CFR, Part 139) and are subject to all kinds of Federal rules. Also, do not take photos of the biz jets or turboprops w/o specific permission - corporate flight departments are very big on security too and they will not want you taking photos of their "executive mailing tubes!"

The best way to go about doing this shoot is to get to know an aircraft owner and just get them to bring you to the airport and serve as your chaperone/host. By doing this, you will probably end up with a plane to shoot and not get yourself into trouble by doing something you shouldn't.

Have fun with it!

This is all good advice, and closely parallels my shoot experience at Houston Southwest Airport a year ago. I obtained permission to shoot around a flight school's planes, and all went well until the model and I shot around some other planes as well. I found out the next day that airport management was not pleased about the foray into the FBO hangar.

As far as my photography, that was a long time ago, and I've learned to be more careful and considerate since.

One of the better images with a plane we were authorized to shoot by:

David A wrote:
Use this URL to find their contact information http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry … nquiry.asp

This is a cool site - I haven't paid attention to this stuff in a long time and am glad to know about it. Years ago, one had to know the manufacturer/model codes to figure out what type of aircraft was being listed in the FAA registry. While these codes are still used in the site provided here (ie: 71028____ ... which is a Piper Pa28, aka Cherokee, of one type or another), you can just search by manufacturer/model name in it's search engine.

Thanks for the link!


PS: Hanging out the back of an airplane is, indeed, fun! I have done it in a C130 a number of times - just don a gunner's belt, clip into the deck and sit on the edge of the cargo ramp when it is positioned "in trail." Nothing to it!

J Merrill Images wrote:
PS: Hanging out the back of an airplane is, indeed, fun! I have done it in a C130 a number of times - just don a gunner's belt, clip into the deck and sit on the edge of the cargo ramp when it is positioned "in trail." Nothing to it!

I'll take your word for it.  My wife laughes at me because I'm afraid of heights but I like to fly and when I was younger I use to rock climb.  I just can't stand on the edge of what I climbed and look down.  Can't do that from my own roof either.

Sleepy Weasel wrote:
I used that site to track that Beech 18 that used to be at a now-abandoned airpark out here, and it appears it's now in an air museum in Texas.  :-\   No other Beech 18s out here in the area. Guess I'll just have to go to the airports and look. I'm just not excited about Pipers and Cessnas....

Yeah, but stinsons and mooneys are cool.

BCG wrote:
dont do "cockpit" shots in public and do not ask her to hold your joystick

I'm so paranoid about scaring off a new model with potential innuendo that I'm not even going to SAY the word cockpit. I'll just say 'penile abyss.' Think she'll know what that means instead?




;-)

FKVPhotoGraphics wrote:

Boy....glad you said on the ground.....recently American Photographer ran an article about a very well know arial photographer and his shooting platform was an old B-17 bomber with the rear gun turret replaced with a seat exposed to the open....

He straps himself in.....and off he goes......talks to the pilot via headphones.....basically directing him in positions for good shots......

Crap....that would scare the hell out of me....hanging out the ass end of an old bomber!!

One of the really cool things about being a professional photographer is unique access.  Getting a chance to ride in a position like that is a once in a life time opportunity; no way I would turn that down.

I didnt waste the opportunity to shoot with this old warbird even though it never left the ground.

J Merrill Images wrote:
It's one of those situations that makes one want to take up another type of photography. While there are many great models to work with, sometimes it seems like the flaky ones make the entire endeavor more of a pain in the behind than it is worth.

Tell Ms. Privacy that anyone who is going to allow another person in or around their very, very expensive airplane has a perfect right to know who that person is. You might also remind her that in the course of everyday life, she has given her name to thousands of dopey store clerks, who are much more likely than the aircraft owner to be Ichabod Identity Thief or Maury Model Molester.

Ladies, most of you are really, really nice and we love you but, will the rest please just get a clue?

Well, this particular person is in a "high profile" new job. In fact, when I found out about her promotion, I even told her I didn't want to do any risque stuff with her at all (even though she said she could do some anonymous stuff as long as it didn't hit the Internet). And her contract supposedly didn't ban her from modeling. She just needed to keep her image "clean".  Not sure what I did that spooked her, but I don't buy her reason(s).

Now if she gets another photographer and does a shoot with the plane I busted my butt to locate and get permission to shoot with (and gave her the owner's name and number for--trusting her), then all morals and ethics go out the window. ;-) Unless that happens, I'm not going to splatter her name or rep all over the boards.  It was her choice, her loss, and I'm moving forward with the shoot anyway.

FKVPhotoGraphics wrote:
He straps himself in.....and off he goes......talks to the pilot via headphones.....basically directing him in positions for good shots......

Crap....that would scare the hell out of me....hanging out the ass end of an old bomber!!

The guys name is Paul Bowen, and he's got some incredible shots.
http://www.airtoair.net/

Saw some of his work at the Geneseo Air Show a few weeks ago....awesome.

Sleepy Weasel wrote:
I just got stiffed by the model. After all of the work I did tracking down the plane, getting permission, etc., as well as finding another unique location for a shot we wanted to collaborate on (also aviation related), she emails me today telling me she doesn't want to work with me anymore because she doesn't "feel comfortable with you posting in the MM forums about my contractual situation and contacting owners of planes and telling them my [real] name."

Sorry to hear that!

This is a good example of "jinxing" something that is yet to happen by saying too much. I have seen so many examples of this in both my day job world and this one.

You may very well have given the "secret" away to a rival!

As they say, it's best to not count chickens until they are hatched.